Advertisement of wearing face masks is seen near the Times Square in New York, the United States, July 4, 2020. (Xinhua/Wang Ying)

As COVID-19 cases continue to surge in United States, a growing number of states and businesses are mandating mask-wearing but the simple public health option to prevent infections remains divisive in the country.

WASHINGTON, July 16  -- Confirmed COVID-19 cases topped 3.5 million on Thursday in the United States, with deaths over 137,000, while debate over mask-wearing, one of the most effective means of curbing the virus spread, persists around the country.

New York state remains the hardest-hit with 404,775 cases. California, Florida and Texas have become the country's new COVID-19 hotspots with rapid increases in daily new cases, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University.

California has reported 355,046 cases, Florida 315,775 cases and Texas 292,336 cases, the data showed. States with over 100,000 cases also include New Jersey, Illinois, Arizona, Georgia, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania.

Florida's health department reported 156 coronavirus deaths on Thursday, surpassing a record the state set just days before.